The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-19
w. w. CoRCORAN.
A Vast Fortune Freely Given to the Mccoy
His Love for His Daughter.


Washington Special in New York Mail and EXPRESS
Many years ago Mr. ". w. Corcoran said;
~ mean to be selfish about my money. 1T
shall be all for my own enjoy mehs curing ny
lifetime shall give and enjoy the happiness OF
those to whom give. I shall not leave Inucn
behind me- -,
He has carried out this programme wonderful
ly we'll and he has practiced tho noble anu en-
liehtened selfishness of Peter Cooper and George
Peabody Mr. Corcoran now lies at ms nome
corner of Sixteenth and Fl streets. partially par
alyzed. and with the slim chance or recovery
allotted to men of his great age. He Is
eighty-eieht years old. All Washington Is con-
cerned for him-all the rich and all the poor;
In the churches be is prayed for, and il good VIII
could raise him up he would be raised IN FOR
nearly forty years he has lived IN the nne oio
home on d street, just opposite Lafayette fark;
A great garden runs all the way to street, and
in the most fashionable part OF Washington the
old time garden blooms and blossoms Formeriy
Mr. Corcoran entertained mucn and often. but
since the death of his only child. Mrs Eustls:
there have been gayeties in the great. req
brick house. He has always been clad TO see his
friends, but the death of the cherished daughter
has not been forgotten.
Over in Georgetown, in 1898, then mere
hamlet, Mr.. Corcoran was born. His father had
been shoemaker, but afterward rose TO De
Mayor of the town, and was useful citizen.
Mr. Corcoran's early advantages were not great,
but he read what books he could get, and I'M
proved himself and soon saw a way to RISE he
had natural commercial genius, and from clerk
ship he gradually acquired a business of his own
He always handsome presentable man,
tinctons much more observed than now.
he had trouble in persuadiDg the pretty
daughter of Commodore Morris to marry him.
The old Com modore was wroth when the propo-
sition was made, and. like Colonel Cary, when
George Washington wanted to marry beautifui
Mary Cary. her father informed the lover
that his girl had higher aspirations. In spite
of the Commodores swearing and clustering.
though, his daughter was obstinate. and became
Mrs. Corcoran Afterward. when poverty had
reduced the Morris family. Mr. Corcoran had an
opportunity of repaying The debt by supporting
them all comfortably But. mean while. the old
Commodore had found out that the snoemaker's
was no ordinary man. In time the banking
house of Corcoran Riggs was established; but
it was not until the loan necessitated by the
Mexican war was taken up by the house that it
came prominently before thu public Then Mr..
Corcoran foresaw tina, he would become one OF
the richest men in America He was oven then
noted for his public and private charities. but he
had not arranged the vast schemes OF benevoence
which have occupied his later years He had
but child, Louise Corcoran. beautiful and
interesting girl, In whom he was quite bound up.
His wife was then dead.
Louise Corcoran was regarded as legitimate
prey by all the designing members of the diplo-
matte corps in Washington. Mr.. Corcoran bit
terly opposed her marriage to q foreigner, al
though processing perfect willingness for her to
marry any deserving young man she fancIed, no
matter how small his fortune. only he must be
an American But the young lady was full OF
life and liked admiration. young things of her
sex dc. One day when she was entertaining
forbidden admirer, who was a member of the
Spanish Legation, she heard her fathers step
in the hall The young eraudee turned pale, as
did the needless girl The step approached near
when Mr., Grandee. forgetting all about
his dignity, scampered under the grand
piano in the corner. DIR. Corcoran's
eyes were too quick, though. Going back into
the ball, ne reappeared with a buggy whip.
which he used vigorously on the shns of the
grandee, who got out Of the house as fast as his
legs would carry him. That cured Miss Louise
of foreigners. and shortly after she married Mr..
Eusts. of South Carolina, then q young mem
Der of the House. Her married life was very
happy, but she did not live many years In
1870 she died of consumption, leaving two
and a daughter behind her. He husband did not
long survive her The loss of this beloved child
overwhelming blow to Mr. Corcoran.
Years after he could not speak of her without
tears. Only a little while ago. in speaking of
General Lee, with whom he was on terms of
great intimacy, he said: Il have the last letter
he wrote. Is was upon the occasion of my
childs death" He stopped and said no more.
overcome with emotion
He had already designed great charities, but
after that he seemed to preserve them with
greater order. He established the Louise Home
for Impoverished Gentlewouen. and upon q plan
that shows how perfectly ne understood the art
of giving. No restriction exists for these un-
fortunate ladies. They may go and come at will,
spending months or years with their families,
have their friends with them In illness-the
home is truly a home which is always ready to
welcome them. Not only every comfort but
every luxury provided for them in the hand
some building with the largo grounds on Massa-
cbusetts avenue. in the most desirable quarter Of
the town Mr. Corcoran knew that the depriva-
ton of accustomed refnements late in life would
be hard upon women gently nurtured; there
fore erything linen. china. glass, and
furniture was dainty an6seeeans They were
TO be at expense of any kind, except for their
clothes. and Mr.. Corcoran made It his business
to find out those who were absolutely penniless,
and saw that they were suitably and handsomely
clad. He desired, as far as possible, to relieve
them of the sense of being paupers. and by his
treatment of them placed them upon dis
tinguished footing. The aristocratic prejudicse
It. -
ing. but Mr. Corcoran merely smiled at this
He wanted to reach q class most difficult TO get
at-gentlewomen. poor but proud-and he did
80, humorine their harmless notions he spoke
of them his guests. and on New Years day his
first call was always paid them. The gratitude
and affection of these old ladies was most touch
ing He enjoyed, as they did, the quaint pre-
tense that he their guest for the time. His
birthday was invariably spent with them also.
Unlike many generous rich men, who. in CIV
ing, take one line OF benevoienee to the exclusion
of all others, Mr. Corcoran was truly catholic in
his gifts. the Corcoran Gallery, which pos
sesses many superb works of art of the best for
eign and American painters and sculptors, is lib
orally provided for It's last important pur-
chase was the fifteen-thousand- dollar Corot from
the Morgan sale. Its value to students is i'm
mense, every provision being made for study.
Besides this. mr.. Corcoran may be. considered
almost the founder of Columbian University.
and his gifts to the University of Virginia and
Washingt and Lee University have been mag
nifcent. He was genuine friend TO Washing
ton enterprises. Any entertain ment tn at prom
lsed falrly ne was certain TO De subscriber 10,
and was thus of great and substantial benefit to
the city.
1t will be said of him that as long as he lived
he lived. Up to Monday afternoon he attended
to business. going down TO his Office in Riggs
Bank, and his head was as clear bell he
fond of social visiting, and had an enor-
nous acquaintance. Persons meeting him
sometimes got An idea that his faculties were
failing because he did not at place them,
but considering the prodieious number of per-
sons he had met during his long and busy life,
his memory remarkable. lie liked to
behind pair of good horses. Only two years
ago his carriage horses bottled. The old gentle
man sitting back quite cool and com
posed during the runaway He drove those
same horses. poob-poohine the danger. until at
last the clamor of his friends and acquaintance
forced him to part with them.
Mr.. Corcoran was an ardent Democrat, and
for many years had announced his intention of
living until Democratic President elected.
His delight at Mr. Clevelan6s election
boundless. He and Mrs Cleveland were great
f<iazi ard b.; lat hisshd be nod nth